Connector housing

Abstract

A connector housing is provided for an electronic/electrical device, which may include a printed circuit board. The connector housing includes a header connector secured to an enclosure. The header connector includes a plastic mounting block defining a plurality of slots. A plurality of contacts is at least partially disposed in the slots of the mounting block, respectively. The contacts each have a first section and a second section. The first section includes a connector end and the second section includes a plurality of retention tabs and a tail end for connection to the electronic/electrical device. The retention tabs extend in the lateral direction and engage the mounting block to help secure the contacts to the mounting block. A keeper is connected to the mounting block such that the tail ends of the contacts protrude from an outer surface of the keeper.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector housing for an electronic/electrical device, the connector housing comprising:
 an enclosure defining an interior space in which the electronic/electrical device may be disposed, the enclosure including a wall with an opening extending therethrough and a shroud joined to and extending from the wall; and 
 a header connector secured to the enclosure so as to extend through the opening in the wall, the header connector comprising:
 a plastic mounting block having a plurality of sidewalls joined to, and extending from, a laterally-extending structure, the sidewalls being spaced apart to define a plurality of slots arranged in a lateral direction; 
 a plurality of contacts at least partially disposed in the slots of the mounting block, respectively, the contacts being arranged in a plurality of rows that each extend in the lateral direction such that a plurality of the slots each contain a plurality of the contacts from different ones of the rows, with each of the slots containing not more than one of the contacts from any one of the rows, the contacts each having a first section and a second section, the first section including a connector end disposed inside the shroud and the second section including a plurality of retention tabs and a tail end for connection to the electronic/electrical device, the retention tabs extending in the lateral direction and engaging the mounting block to help secure the contacts to the mounting block; and 
 a keeper connected to the mounting block, the keeper having a plurality of passages through which the contacts extend, respectively, so that the tail ends of the contacts protrude from an outer surface of the keeper. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The connector housing of  claim 1 , wherein in each contact, a first one of the retention tabs extends to one side of the contact and a second one of the retention tabs extends to another, opposing side of the contact. 
     
     
       3. The connector housing of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls define a plurality of channels that extend parallel to the slots, and wherein in each slot, at least two channels open into the slot from opposing sides of the slot. 
     
     
       4. The connector housing of  claim 3 , wherein in each slot containing one of the contacts, the retention tabs of the contact are disposed in the channels opening into the slot. 
     
     
       5. The connector housing of  claim 4 , wherein each sidewall of the mounting block includes an upper crenelated portion having two of the channels opening in one direction and a third of the channels opening in an opposite, second direction. 
     
     
       6. The connector housing of  claim 5 , wherein each slot is defined by one of the sidewalls having a pair of the channels opening into the slot and an opposing one of the sidewalls having a single one of the channels opening into the slot, with the single one of the channels in the opposing one of the sidewalls being vertically positioned between the pair of the channels in the one of the sidewalls. 
     
     
       7. The connector housing of  claim 6 , wherein each contact has a pair of retention tabs extending from one side of the contact and another pair of retention tabs extending from the other side of the contact, and wherein the retention tabs are arranged in a staggered configuration along a length of the contact. 
     
     
       8. The connector housing of  claim 1 , wherein each contact is L-shaped and wherein in each contact, the tail end has a press-fit configuration and the connector end is configured as a pin. 
     
     
       9. The connector housing of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting block further comprises a plurality of contact wafers, each of the contact wafers comprising a plurality of the contacts, the contacts being secured to and projecting from a housing. 
     
     
       10. The connector housing of  claim 9 , wherein the housing is composed of plastic and is molded over the contacts. 
     
     
       11. The connector housing of  claim 9 , wherein one of the contact wafers has contacts that are longer than the contacts of another one of the contact wafers. 
     
     
       12. The connector housing of  claim 9 , wherein the mounting block further comprises a monolithic comb and a monolithic bulkhead, the comb comprising the laterally-extending structure and the sidewalls, and wherein the contact wafers are held between the comb and the bulkhead. 
     
     
       13. The connector housing of  claim 12 , wherein the comb is releasably secured to the bulkhead by latching systems disposed on opposite lateral sides of the mounting block, respectively. 
     
     
       14. The connector housing of  claim 13 , wherein the keeper is fastened to the comb by one or more snap-fit connections. 
     
     
       15. The connector housing of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting block includes a guide system that helps guide the header connector into the enclosure and a fastening system for releasably securing the header connector within the enclosure. 
     
     
       16. The connector housing of  claim 15 , wherein the mounting block further comprises a comb and a bulkhead, the comb comprising the laterally-extending structure and the sidewalls, and wherein the comb and the bulkhead are releasably secured together. 
     
     
       17. The connector housing of  claim 16 , wherein the fastening system and the guide system are part of the bulkhead. 
     
     
       18. The connector housing of  claim 1 , wherein each contact is L-shaped and further comprises a middle section that connects the first section to the second section, the middle section including a bend, and wherein in each of the slots containing contacts, the bends of the contacts are disposed between a pair of the sidewalls. 
     
     
       19. The connector housing of  claim 18 , wherein the mounting block is monolithic, wherein the laterally-extending structure has a plurality of passages through which the first sections of the contacts extend such that the connector ends of the contacts protrude from a front surface of the laterally extending structure, and wherein the sidewalls extend rearwardly beyond the bends of the contacts.